Research into pig positive emotions is transforming welfare science, moving beyond absence of suffering to actively promoting positive mental states in farm systems.
The science of pig positive emotions is reshaping how welfare is assessed and promoted. Traditional welfare science focused on preventing negative states - pain, fear, and frustration. The new positive welfare paradigm asks not just whether animals are suffering, but whether they are experiencing positive states including curiosity, play, and social bonding. For pigs, which are highly intelligent and emotionally complex animals, this distinction matters enormously. Systems that prevent acute suffering but provide no opportunities for positive engagement fall short of the welfare standard pigs deserve. Enriched systems with rooting material, space, and social interaction produce measurably more positive pig welfare profiles.